Tag Archives: Inspiration

I admit it. The hours upon hours I would sit in cushy café chairs staring at Van Gogh prints or absorbing bebop, acoustic guitar or neo-soul over the sound of espresso beans in the grinder makes me that writer – the one feverishly finishing a manuscript in the corner of the neighborhood coffeehouse, imagining themselves the next JK Rowling.

It’s been done. The evenings wasted away talking with hipsters about all that’s hip, or snapping fingers to a favorite local wordsmith’s latest poetic rant are the moments I live for. They are a major source of inspiration, and yet, while hot mochas are indeed my muse, I still find that being a regular at the local coffee spot can get old after a while. The time comes when a poet needs to find inspiration elsewhere.

For me, that elsewhere has been France, where I took a VCCA poetry workshop in a beautiful and ancient town where you could touch, taste, and feel history everywhere. The place was poetry, from every curved cobblestone to the floating cottonwood, the thick-hipped maternal sculptures, and the mix of smells emerging from the soap maker’s shop. In 2015, after my second trip, I wrote that place – its scent, its people, its food, and its influence on me, a mere visitor.

The experience moved me to ask other writers, contemporary American authors well known for their work, “In what ways does travel impact your writing?”

Here is what they said:

“I use traveling as a kind of self-exile. I’m never able to fully write about the place I live until I am away from it, traveling to a place that’s new and unknown. Only then, with distance and even that little ache of homesickness in the heart, does a kind a clarity come to me. Only then do I permit myself the freedom to see what I could not see about my home/community/family, etc when I was in it. . .just one of the ways that traveling impacts my writing.” ~ Marilyn Nelson, award winning poet, translator and children’s book author.

“Familiarity breeds apathy. Even something as simple as watching a couple walk down the street or having a cup of coffee watching the rain fall becomes a new experience when my surroundings change. Travel keeps me alive to the tiny miracles and the epic beauty of even small and simple things.” Carla Christopher, author, publisher and community activist; Former Poet Laureate of York, PA.

“I do not write overtly about the places I physically visit. And I rarely write about the places where I live. But I do know that when I am actually moving through space on a tetherless voyage, writing moves with me and in me and is touched of course by the whole of those places.” ~ Lucy Anderton, published author and spoken word artist living in France.

“When I write on the road, I rarely write about my location. Most of my book YOU DON’T MISS YOUR WATER was written on the road, CA, Mexico and Italy, but the poems are grounded in my hometown of Rochester, NY, which is never mentioned.” ~ Cornelius Eady, prize winning poet, co-founder of Cave Canem Foundation.

“Travel is movement, and poetry is all about movement. I take dictation from the road, from the Garonne and the gulls. I listen for every new sound and transcribe new tastes. Travel is often lonely. My poetry is an ally and a friend, constant and porous. I’m in Paris now, alone with my notebook. It’s a consolation. My book, The Love That Moves Me, is all about being on the road, in the air.” ~ Marilyn Kallet, award winning poet, Director of Creative Writing at University of TN-Knoxville.

Of course, you want to write. Everyone wants to write. But there’s a difference between wanting to write and actually doing it. There are a thousand excuses why we don’t start writing projects, and a thousand more for why we don’t finish them. More often than not, the easiest way to jump start a writing routine is to indulge one of your writer’s craving for the things that writer’s love most: pens, papers, books….coffee. Here are some of our staff’s best picks for indulging your dangerously creative self.

Of course, this list is going to start with a pen because of course it is. And not just any pen. One of the most sassy writing pens you can get. Made by kate spade new york, the Nom de Plume ball point pen will set you back a cool $36, but it’s worth it. Besides, that won’t like very much at all when you are sitting on top of the New York Times‘ bestseller’s list. (Also, when you get to the number one spot, don’t forget who told you to pick up that lucky pen.)

There is nothing quite like beautiful stationary to get you excited about putting pen to perfect paper, especially if that paper is wonderfully illustrated. Get in the mood to explore the realm of fantasy writing with this lovely stationary set that features all the whimsey of a magical faerie folk, and at just $15, you can travel to the other world without stopping at the ATM along the way.

While there are journals of every shape and size, the Classic Travel Journal from Rouge Journals will make you feel like you have just stolen a magical adventuring book from Biblo Baggins library. Whether you are stealing magical rings from wicked creatures or burgling the treasure hoard of a fearsome dragon, this leather bound journal will make sure that all of your adventures are kept safe there and back again. (Also, for only $50, you will still have enough of that dwarf gold to buy a much bigger hobbit hole.

If you find yourself sitting along in your study, thinking about which suitor (if any) would be most socially acceptable for your polite if eccentric heroine should settle on, then this aptly titled book What Would Jane Do?: Quips and Wisdom from Jane Austen is exactly what you need for your book shelves. “My idea of good company is the company of clever, well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company.”

Writing is half inspiration, half coffee. Satisfy both the cravings of your imagination and your body with this mug. Whether it’s coffee, tea, or a delicious mug-brownie, grabbing a cup of inspiration will certainly make the difference between thinking about finishing that last chapter and actually doing it.

For most writers, where they do their writing is just as important as what they’re writing about. Having a comfortable, ‘noise free’ space allows you to focus more on the page and less on the piles of excuses sitting on your desk (and probably also your floor). Removing these distractions with something like this lovely, literary inspired piece will make sure you hit those daily word counts.

You have probably heard of short fiction, short stories, and even flash fiction, but the ultimate reading materials for those of us with shorter attention spans is the one-sentence story. Yes, you read that right. A story comprised of a single sentence with all the bells and whistles of its longer relations: introduction, conclusion, plot twist, characterdevelopment, suspense, and sentiment. Continue reading →

Are you struggling with writing a poem without rhyme or meter? Some say free verse is easy, but its not. That’s why I’m here to help! Just follow my simple steps and in no time you’ll have yourself an awesome free verse poem.Continue reading →

At The Central Pen, we are committed to all types of art and artists, including the visual arts. We believe that creative expression, no matter the medium, has an important place in our education and in our lives. With that said, please enjoy the following submission by a member of our creative community.

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Shannon Zeller took the following photograph called “Reflections” at a car wash, proving that there is beauty in the everyday.

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Reflecting by Shannon Zeller

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About the artist.

Shannon Zeller has worked at Central Penn College since April 2002. She has two degrees from Central Penn, an Associate Degree in Travel and Tourism Operations and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and is currently pursuing an MS degree in Organizational Leadership from Southern New Hampshire University.

A little more about Shannon: I very earth-centered. I love trees and the ocean. I am passionate about causes related to the environment and animal welfare. Photography is one of my favorite pastimes and I have been taking photos since I was 15. I love to capture moments in time! My other interests include: interior decorating, traveling, and reading. I also enjoy outdoor concerts and festivals.

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These photographs have been submitted to The Central Pen for inclusion in their e-zine and print editions and have been reproduced here by permission. To submit your own creative work, see our submissions guidelines on our “Submissions” page.